


The Confusing Adventures of a Girl

by Darkenrose



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Betrayal, F/M, For The good of the Town, Love, Magic, OUAT - Freeform, Storybrooke, Time Travel, enchanted forest, magic beans, onceuponatime
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-21
Updated: 2016-09-28
Packaged: 2018-08-16 12:42:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8102806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darkenrose/pseuds/Darkenrose
Summary: Mary (OC) spent most of her time in Storybrook feeling like something was missing, like she was constantly searching for something. She just didn't know what. By chance she meets a man who feels more familiar to her then the town she's lived in for as long as she remembers.  Who is he ? Why does he look at her like she is everything to him? (OnceUponATime) JeffersonMadHatterXOCWarnings- some blood shed, mentions of sex, Manipulation,  swearing.





	1. Haven't we met before?

**_ Storybrook_**

Emma glared at Jefferson as he shifted uncomfortably in the booth across from her at Granny's Dinner.  
Good, She thought.  
David and Killian both stood, arms cross at the end of the table waiting for the others to arrive.  
At the counter sat Henry and Jefferson's little girl Piper or Prue or Phoebe or Paige or maybe it was Grace.  Emma wasn't  sure, but the girl was maybe a little older then Henry if not the same age. They had their heads together deep in conversation over Henry's book. Emma vaguley reconised her as a girl who went to school with Henry.

The bell over the door to Granny's chimed and Regina, Mary-Margaret and the still newly married Mr. and Mrs. Gold strolled in. Emma and Jefferson got up to great them and make room in the booth.  
They all watched as Belle stopped and stared at Jefferson. Emma was sure he had probemly scared the poor woman at some point, it was bad enough that Belle was married to a guy who was power hungry and spent most of his life being manipulative and evil. She didn't need this maniac scaring her as well. Emma was ready to give him another dressing down –whether his kid was here or not- when Belle smiled up at him, surprising to group with the amount of happiness on her face as her big blue eyes sparkled.

"It's you." She said before launching herself into his arms. Jefferson looked just as shocked as everyone else. "Thank you." She muttered into his shoulder. Jefferson's eyes soften and he wrapped his arms around Belle in what Emma would describe as a bear hug, the kind of hug that meant; it's ok. You're safe.  
She didn't like how he knew how to give one or that he was giving it to Belle.

The Nolan's and Hook watched slightly open mouthed, watching the pair until Mr. Gold gave a pointed cough and gave Jefferson a disapproving look. Hook snorted, over protective old fool.

"Belle, you two know each other?" He asked as Belle stepped away from the Hatter. Rumple didn't remember the two ever meeting in his castle, and he had disappeared not long after she escaped Regina here in Storybrook. Belle nodded flashing him a tight smile.

"Jefferson got me out." She says curling a arm around her husbands as he managed to shoot Jefferson a great full glance and glare at Regina at the same time. Regina glared back at all three of them. 

The Nolan's looked confused.

"Let's get this over with. I have better things to do this weekend then play with you guys." Jefferson muttered finally, his eyes flickering to the preteens sat not to far away, and gestured for Belle and Mr. Gold to slide into the booth before him. Mary-Margaret, Regina and Emma sitting opposite as to two remaining men stood between.  
After about quarter hour of discussion over the new threat and about Wonderland the bell over the door rang again but everyone ignored it, only David looked up at the young mother and toddler as they reclosed the door and the young woman placed shopping bags from one hand down on the counter before the other readjusting the dark haired child on her hip.

After a few more minutes Emma had tuned out Mr. Gold and Regina's bitching with Jefferson's sarcastic remarks every now and again at one another, to see her son and his new friend chatting happily to a young woman, Emma couldn't make out what was being said but Henry was smiling, clearly in his element. So she figured he was telling the woman about which character she was in his book. Emma heard her mothers voice and refocus on the conversation. She was busy glaring at Jefferson again when he suddenly looked jerked and looked down. A small childish giggle drifted up from beside the table.

"Baelfire Killian, what have I told you about running off." The young woman who had been talking to Henry and Grace scooped the child up in a fit of laughter.

Emma paused, the woman could have been Belles twin. Her features only slightly different from the woman sitting at the booth opposite her. Her hair a shade lighter and her lips not as full and Emma guest she might be a few inches taller but she had not see Belle without those ridiculous high heels on in a long while.

Killian Jones stood up straighter and eyed the young woman critically. Though not a secret, not many people knew his name was Killian and even less knew about Baelfire. Yet here was a woman who looked suspiciously like Belle Gold nèe French, had a child called after two uncommonly named men.

"I'm so sorry, I'm not sure where he gets his energy from." The woman says as the child gleefully pulls a metallic necklace out from her navy blue jumper with one hand his held on to his mothers hair with his tiny fist. The child couldn't be more then two year old, born maybe seven to nine months after the curse lifted. He was clearly at the 'must run everywhere stage' and had dark almost black hair and big dark blue eyes like his mother, yet there was something about the shape of them that looked familiar yet didn't match the girl's.

" ah Ms Mary, I see you have finally had your little terror, this explains why I haven't seen you in the shop lately." Mr. Gold seemed to choke out in a smooth tone, looking at the child with interest. The woman nodded, now aware that the whole table was staring at her, a slight blush rose to her cheeks, holding the child closer to her.

"Yes, he's a bit of a handful."

"Yes, they normally are at that age." Mr Gold said softly, remembering his own Bealfire "By the way, that is a lovely necklace, still not willing to part with it?" Mary shifts the small dark haired child onto her hip, and smiles slightly. One of the few people that ever smile at Mr. Gold willingly without anything malicious behind it.

" I'm sorry, Mr Gold." Her accent sounds very much like Belles on some words and yet like Hooks on others. " but this is priceless, it's all I have to remember"

"remember?" Emma asks trying to remember where else she had seen her but knew that this girl was always in the background, and she was shocked that the small child was named after the two men she loved. She also noted that Jefferson had stood up, curving slightly towards Mary and Baelfire stared at them like he didn't believe they were stood in front of them, he was paler to the point Emma wondered if he would pass out. He kept this balance and blinked slowly like he was waking from a dream.

Ms Mary paused trying to remember what she should be remembering. Eventually she shrugged,

" guess it hasn't worked." The dark haired boy shoved his fist in his mouth making happy nosies.

"We where just discussing Wonderland," Mr. Gold states  wanting this young woman to stay, there is something familiar about her and he wanted to know why she looked so much like his wife, and why she named her son after his own. He noted the _Charmings_ glaring at him- nothing new.

" there is nothing wonderful about almost having your head cut off" Ms Mary says focusing more on her fusing child that had now decided Jefferson's  waistcoat button was something fascinating and needed to be his new plaything or perhaps a tasty snack, Jefferson looks in wonder at the child letting him curl a small fist around his own fingers as he leaned further out of his mothers arms towards him.

" how do you remember that" he mutters softly looking under his eyelashes at the woman then back towards then child. She looks up at him like she was seeing him for the first time, she opens her mouth to speak but can't find words. Instead she just looks at the dark haired man before her.  
Emma looks between the two as they stare almost starry eyes at earth other. She frowns, what's Jefferson playing at now?

"I...I don't.....I'm not sure why I said that." The young woman said softly, dreamlike as if she couldn't understand why she didn't remember or that Jefferson had hypnotised her somehow with his soft intimate voice, which Emma was leaning more towards. She had no doubt in her mind that Jefferson could charm or in her opinion hypnosis some poor woman who had her guard down.  
He was dangerous.  But, a small voice in her head said, So are Mr. Gold and Regina and you're happy to chat with them. Chat and happy were too strong words. Emma growled to herself.

 

\--//--//--//--

 

Jefferson looked into achingly familiar cobalt blue eyes hoping for recognition, he saw a small flick but it was more the recognition of passing someone everyday on the street, you would recognise them as, that person you pass on the street, but nothing more.

The child was a surprise. He'd had no idea that she was even pregnant again but the child look so much like a mixture of himself and the young woman it was undeniable. The child had to be his. Yet this didn't explain why she didn't know him, if she was here before the curse took place, she had to have been here when it was broken.  
It didn't make sense.  
How can she be alive?  
Has she always been here?  
Had he not seen her? Why had he not seen her?

_He had never been looking for her. That's why._

The clock on the wall chimed half an hour, breaking the pair apart. Jefferson cleared his throat and Mary looked any where but him.  
"I,Erm, I've got to go. It was nice meeting you." She says backing away looking towards Jefferson like she isn't sure if he is real or not. He watched her disappear through the door and continued to watch the door as if she would come back. Regina and Hook looked both shocked and confused at the exchange looking between Jefferson and the now closed door, meanwhile the Charming's turned on Gold.

"what was that? Who was that?" David asked, Gold half shrugged

" that little show? No idea, however her necklace is of interest for me and her name –in this world- is Mary Charming nèe Poppins. Never really seen the husband, always down at the nunnery." Gold's lip curled in disgust at the thought of the blue fairy and her minions. Everyone missed the flash in Jefferson's eyes and the frown on his face. Husband?

"Necklace? " Emma asked looking away from the man watching the door with a sad unbelievable kicked puppy look on his face, but in her head she repeated the name Mary Poppins. Emma didn't think she would ever get used to this town.

"Yes" Gold signed " it's made from a very rear metal found in only one place. Well one realm."

"so, where? What does it matter" Snow asked, Gold held back another long suffering sign as he caught Regina's look of frustration at Snow.

"the metal is mirum elementum. Which only comes from Wonderland. Clearly that young woman has been to Wonderland and either doesn't remember or simply doesn't want to tell us." He pauses " Either way, I'm sure Jefferson will find out."

"What do you mean?" Snow glared at Gold and he resist rolling his eyes at her. Belle would only lecture him on being polite to them even when he wants to send them far far away. Instead he nodded his head to the empty space that the hatter had left.

Everyone look towards Henry to find the girl he had been talking to also gone. Emma cursed and scrambled to the door with David and Hook close behind.

It had taken weeks to track the mad man down and they wouldn't lose him now. They saw Jefferson and the young girl had made it quiet a way down the street and was catching up to the young woman who had previously fled the dinner. She had paused and turned slightly to wait for them as they jogged to catch up with her. Emma couldn't hear what was being said but the woman had a small smile on her face and a slight pink colour to her cheeks before the four turn to walk further up the street, the Mad Hatter carrying shopping bags Emma didn't notice before and Mary boosting her grip on the small toddler on her hip.


	2. Losing Your Head

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alice finds Jefferson tangled in the woods but something dark is brewing.

A/N -WARNING =Violence and Blood and Death

\--//--//--//--//--//--//--//--//

**Wonderland, 14 years before the Curse.**

The young woman smiled up at Jefferson as he struggled and cursed in a net among the trees before realising he wasn't alone and glared down at her. She twirled the top dark hat in her hands before placing it on her own head. It was a little big but Jefferson could just make out her cobalt eyes under the brim of his own hat and he pouted.   
"Should I even ask how you got up there ?" The smile was obvious in her voice.  
"You mean this isn't your trap?" He growled down at her. She shook her head, turning her head away from him to follow the rope to where it was tight off behind one of the bigger trees. A small part of Jefferson grumbled about wanting her eyes on him again but he muffled the sound. "Just cut me down Miss. Alice" his tongue curled around her name with a hint of allure as he watched her disappear behind a tree drawing her sword. The woman frustrated and confused him no end. First she pretended to be a boy, then she saves their lives but only by pushing him off a cliff and reveals she was a she. -not that she had much choice. Their clothing had stuck to their skin once they had escaped the ocean. He is still not sure how she did it. -   
"Are you sure you want me to cut it?" Her voice called to him, he huffed in frustration.   
"Yes." He snapped. He heard the twak of the rope being cut then realised to late that it wasn't a good idea. As the rope zip around branches he plummeted to the ground landing with a loud thud and a groan. 'I'll kill her' he though to himself eyes closed in pain. He ached and muttered darkly to himself, hearing the whispered laughter of the flowers, before becoming aware of a presents beside him gently untangling the net from around him. He opened his eyes ready to snarl at the young woman but stopped before he could draw breath. Those cobalt eyes were almost navy in the shadow of his hat had looked up at him with concern twirling around the simmering fire within them, he noticed-not for the first time – how the pale pink colour of her lips complemented her slightly tanned skin from being outside a lot and her long bronze brown hair as it curved around her shoulders despite the braid she had put it in.

He wanted to taste her, to consume her and feel her on his tongue. That little voice called at him loudly to kiss her. He had never been so compelled to do something before. The voice in his head had suggested it many times but he push it down almost aggressively. Yet this woman continue to crawl under his skin.

Alice bit the corner of her lip under Jefferson's intense gaze, she could feel heat raising into her face and she tried desperately not to think about how handsome he was, laying rumpled on the ground before her, his wild sun-kissed hair falling over his face or how his creamy smooth pale skin disappeared underneath his bright coloured shirt and dark coat.

Neither of the pair noticed that they were leaning towards each other. Jefferson on his side and elbows and Alice on her knees, until Jefferson spoke quietly. The warm puffs of his breath caressing Alice's skin.   
"That's my hat," he didn't look at the item but rather at Alice as if trying to gage something. Alice glances up at the hat on her head,  
"Yes it is." She murmured, when her eyes met back with the young mans before her he leaned forward slightly brushing his slightly chapped lips against hers. She froze for less then a second as her brain caught up with what was happening before leaning into him, kissing him back slowly. Unsurely.  
This was the first man she had kissed willingly, without the pressure of what she was supposed to do. Princes marry princess (or whoever the hell they liked, princess didn't get a choice)they would drill into her, but as she told them, she was no princess and she was sure Jefferson was no Prince Charming. But this kiss? This kiss was everything she had read about in the stories books. She had, had to kiss boys back home but they never felt like this. Never made her feel so much from such a small touch.

She felt the burning heat of his palm around the back of her neck, she fisted his coat, not remembering when she placed her hand on his chest. When they broke apart Jefferson was laying flat on his back and Alice was leaning over him. Jefferson's thumb ran along her jawline as the pair caught their breath. Jefferson licked his lips,  
"That hat suits you." He murmured as tassels of her lose hair brushed at his face  
"Not as much as you" the smile she had was mischievous yet she had a soft look about her face in a way he had never seen, he lifted his head wanting to taste her again. For those brief moments his lips were on hers he felt complete. He had never known something was missing but now he knew, he had been missing her.

"Well isn't this sweet" a woman's voice cut through the forest clearing. Making the pair pause and look towards the sound. "Cease them." The woman ordered and the pair were pulled apart by Royal guards dressed in red.  
The Queen of Hearts had found them.   
The pair were held by their upper arms by two guards each as the Queen stalked between them. She looked between the pair before settling on the girl. She worn a oversized leather jacket that could easily be a mans and the hat she was searching for. The Queen looked into the girls face, she couldn't be more the sixteen yet her eyes seemed older. The Queen mused that there was something familiar about the girls features that sent a shiver down her spine but she couldn't recall why. She brushed it off.

"You, Hatter. Tell me how does your hat work." The queen purred, taking the hat off the girls head and missing the look between the two prisoners. She turn back to the girl "well?" The girl blinked at her, glancing again at the young man, clearly a few years her senior, nearer to twenty three.  
" it's just a hat. You place it on your head." There was a familiarity it the undertone of sarcasm in the girls voice and again the queen pushed it away. Clearly the girl wasn't going to play easy.   
" very well" the Queen said slowly turning slightly to one of the guards holding the young man. " off with his head."

Before the words truly registered in Alice's head something hot and wet sprayed her face, she watched as Jefferson started making a horrible wet gurgling sound, the look of shock on his paling face as the guards dropped him and he sunk to his knees looking up at Alice with something unreadable in his eyes before falling completely to the ground. Nerve endings twitching as his body starts to shut down completely. Blood covered his orange shirts turning it dark red.   
Alice was aware someone was screaming "no!" as she struggled to get out of the guards iron grip. She had just found him, how can she lose him already?  
"now, now stop that crying" the Queen tutted, "your still young, you can simply find another one, a prince perhaps. That's what ever girl wants isn't it?." But the young woman didn't hear her in her frantic bid for freedom. Cora huffed in frustration as she watched the girl struggle.   
The air around the group shifted but they pay it no attention.   
Cora suddenly noticed the girls eyes looked larger then before and more metallic gold in the brief flashes of sunlight between the leaves. Before the Queen could consider it, the girl flung out her arms with a growl and everyone one in the clearing was flung to the ground with force enough to leave them breathless. Before anyone could get up, Alice was by Jefferson's side wrapping her small hands around his throat to stem the amount of blood not even thinking about the dullness of his eyes or the fact only the skin and bone on the back of his neck were the only thing that kept him from being completely headless.

The guard who had cut Jefferson's throat hurried to his knees, clutching the still blooded knife in his hands as he drew his arm back to strike the girl, however as his arm came down she looked up at him and he paused. Frozen in place as the girl glared through unnaturally large golden eyes, staring him down. Then with a animalistic snarl she jerked her head, eyes never leaving the guards as he was helpless to stop his own arm as it struck the knife into his own neck and sliced across with a jerk. The girl merely looked back down at Jefferson calmly, her hands seemed to glow with a dull grey/purple light.

Jefferson jolted up, coughing, choking on his own blood before he could spit it out to the side. Gasping for breath he clutched at the slim wrist of who ever had their hands against the tender flesh of his neck. He looked through watery eyes to the face he recognised as Alice's but her eyes were different in colour. Her face was went with tears and covered in blood yet she stared almost passed him with eyes he had seen only a few times before and not on her face.   
"Alice?" His voice was hoarse and barely audible and it hurt like he had swallowed glass shards.

The Queen of Hearts watched the girl with horror, not many people were strong enough to take a life let alone bring another to the land of the living again. She finally took note of the magical power tingling in the air and on her tongue. Cora was smart enough to not engaged in an enemy until she knew of their strengths and weaknesses so she could exploit them. She did it to the dark one and she would do so to this child, but first she had to go away and think. The girl had killed one of her guards with a flick of her head, clearly consumed with rage. Now was no time to face her as she bit down a shiver of fear. The Queen scurried away while the girl was distracted by her choking lover.  
The hat lay forgotten among the wild flowers.  
"Alice? Maria Alice?" Jefferson used her full name hoping that she would focus on him, he moved sluggishly to cup her face. She blinked slowly at him as he felt her whole body relax, the burning gold in her eyes fading away shrinking back to blue. She looked at him in such a way that broke his heart. So confused, lost and dismayed. He rested his forehead against hers, swallowed carefully, feeling her clutch at his coat with shaking hands.

 


	3. Alice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma finds out about the woman who used to be known as Alice.

**Storybrook**

When Emma finally saw Jefferson again he was sat in Granny's with his daughter and Mary's son. For a moment she was going to go over and accuses him of kidnapped again when Mary appeared placing what looked like a tea set down on the table, before sliding into the booth beside the young girl, who was making faces at the toddler that was stood on the seat holding on to Jefferson's arm, which was flung over the top of the seat and bent at the elbow to curve around the child to  stop him from falling. Mary and Jefferson smiled at each other over the table.

Emma was struck be the senses of family that the four represented as Mary poured tea into a cup and added sugar then turned the cup towards Jefferson, like she had been doing it for years, then started on her own.  
"we need to find out what happened." Regina slide in beside Emma watching the to four also.   
"what do you mean?"  
" she doesn't remember anyone pre –curse."  
"How do you know that? "  
"Jefferson said." Regina said reluctantly knowing Emma's dislike for the man.  
"you-you talked to him?" Emma questioned "since when are you two friends?"   
"despite what Snow tells you, I did have a life before being married to her father." She growled. Emma swallowed, knowing it was still a painful point in Regina's life.   
"Sooo...you and Jefferson?" The blond asked, Regina rolled her eyes and gave her a dry look.  
"he married one of the few friends I had, but then he got her trapped in Wonderland and by the time they got back to our world, I was engaged. Then she was gone."   
"trapped? Gone? What do you mean?" Emma was in full sheriff mode now. Regina looked at the four across the room with something close to longing. She turn back to Emma to say quietly.  
"The rules of the hat state that the same number of people go in must come out." She pause making sure Emma understood. " Al-Mary has some sway in Wonderland and the pair went to receive a certain item but Mary couldn't get back. Sometime, while in Wonderland, she became pregnant." Emma raised her eyebrows   
" to tell you the truth I'm surprised she wasn't already before they went. But then they hadn't been married long. Of course he managed to get out –with out using the hat-and then back in, looking for a way to get them all out."  
"You said she had some sway over Wonderland"  
"More like respect. Before they got married, they were in both in the wood of wonderland – for different reasons apparently- "Regina gave Emma a look saying she didn't believe that, "Cora found them and decided to take his head. I'm not sure the full story but Jefferson is alive and my mother didn't set foot in those woods for a long time."

Pure joyful laughter exploded from across the room. Baby Baelfire was now stood on Jefferson legs giggling at his mother and Grace as they chatted and made faces at him. The more Emma looked at the two females the more similarities she saw. There was even moments that reminded her of Neal, when they were younger, but she brushed it off as her own wishful thinking. For years she had spent longing for Henry and Neal and being a family, now seeing a man with a baby was making her remember that feeling.  
"You said she was gone?" Emma looked away from the family.  
"I heard she was back and went looking. I-I needed to see a friendly face and what I found was a man who wasn't completely sure where his wife was only that she was gone and not coming back...he was nothing like what Alice said he was like, I knew there was a spell or curse on him, on the house. So I looked into it. From what I could find when Alice disappear she tried to cast a spell but she never was one to succeed at them, better at potions."  
"So did she up and leave or was taken?" Emma asked as they both looked across at the young woman. There was a blush on her checks as she looked away from the children and caught Jefferson eye, she looked away quickly, down at her cup  
"She wouldn't leave if she had the choice. She adores him. Even now, when she has no idea who he is."   
"...wait Alice?" Emma questioned, Regina signed heavily from the memory of the woman across the diner, from times before all the mayhem of the curse was even thought of, a time when Regina thought she was happy.  
"I knew her as Maria Alice, she never gave a last name but went by Alice most of the time. Just like Jefferson goes by Jefferson."  
"What do you mean, Jefferson goes by Jefferson?"  
"Jefferson his last name." Regina rolled her eyes, "sometimes names have power. Just look at Rumplestiltskin." Regina picked up the coffee Red had given her at the counter and took a long drink of the dark liquid. She would find out what happened to her friend and, she thought slowly, try to make it up to Jefferson about leaving him. Maybe getting him back his happy ending would squash the guilt in her chest whenever she looks at him and his daughter.  
Regina closed her eyes and remembered the last time she saw the dark hair woman.

 

_\--//--//--//--_

 

_It was on the road not far from the castle she had grown up in, not far from where the enchanted forest started in the east. Regina was having her morning ride when she saw Alice's clocked figure marching towards her. Regina let out a laugh and jumped off her horse to hug the other woman, Alice had grinned and held her tightly as the pair swayed._  
"I was starting to worry, Alice you've been gone too long." Regina held her friend in front of her, checking for any injuries. She found non but Alice looked different, like their was a light inside her that there wasn't before.  
"Time is different in other realms. You worry to much. "  
"You've not been fighting pirates again have you?"  
"That was only a few times." Alice laughs " beside I fight just as well as any pirate captain."  
"I know, that's why I worry. " Regina pauses to take her horses reins looking back over her shoulder with a raised eyebrow. "Just how did you get so good?" Alice she laughed and tapped her nose with a wink. The pair walked in silence for a short while as the early morning mist started to lift.   
"Did you have any trouble? " Regina asked finally, as the pair reached a more hidden spot on the road. Alice shrugged slightly   
"I ran into Jefferson again." There was a hint of a beaming smile threatening to show on her face  
"Ah the mysterious Jefferson. You know he is working for The Dark One. "   
"I know I've met him."   
"You've met the DARK ONE?! When?!" Regina stopped walking and stared at her friend.   
" he's not so bad, you just have to look at the wording of any contract when dealing with him. As for when? You remember the high fairy dusk you wanted? You weren't the only one who wanted it." Alice had waited for Regina to nod before she had continued  
"So that's why there wasn't much?" Regina asked   
"It was half....I had to cut a deal with him to get in. "  
"A deal?! ALICE! What did he want from you?! Your first born?!" Regina had physically turned pale at the thought of the other woman being in debt to the imp.  
"Nothing like that. Let's just say no man could cross the keep to the fairy dust." Alice smirked remembering the face of  the other man when she swung across the keep without turning to stone and falling to her death. Of course Rumplestiltskin had plucked to small sack from her hands and disappeared leaving her and the open mouthed Jefferson to escape the castle guards.   
"Regina, there is something I must tell you. I'm afraid I might burst if I don't." Alice giggled reaching out to hold Regina's free hand. " I'm getting married"   
"What?when?!  Ohmygosh who?" Regina shrieked as her horse pulled away in shock. Alice laughs and the beaming smile she has been fighting takes hold as she fills her friend in on the details for the last few months.


	4. Remembering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mary remembers who she once was.

**Gold's prawn Shop, Storybrooke**

Mary stood slightly in front of Jefferson in Mr. Golds dimly lite shop. This place felt more homely then her own house, she admitted to herself, but she put it down to spending hours looking for something she  couldn't find. Yet the pass few weeks she felt more complete then she has in years. She thinks her new found friendship with Jefferson and his daughter had somethings to do with it. With him she felt like she could be more her old self, that she could be better then she did with her husband, Mary knew she should feel guilty about it but she just couldn't find the emotion and that bothered her. She had reluctantly left Baelfire with Mary-Margaret and David with Grace and Henry staying with them to "help". Emma, Regina, Hook and the Golds where all gathered within the small confines of the shop waiting for her.   
Jefferson, who had dropped Grace off had walked with her. He squeezed. Her hand, looking at her with something she wasn't sure  of. Affection, longing and love? She didn't remember anyone looking at her like that. She flashed him a smile, but she felt sick to her stomach. Nerves. She took a deep breath when he turned away from her to open the door. Why was she so nervous? Why had she agreed and gone along with this?  
Jefferson had reluctantly let go of her hand and buried himself the the shadows of the room as far away from Emma as he could.

Mr. Gold or Rumplestilskin as everyone called him had made a potion for her to remember who she was. A part of Mary though it was ridiculous but a large part of her was screaming at her to do it. She would remember something she's forgotten.

"My dear, if you please." Mary looked up at the familiar face of Mr. Gold then to his younger wife, Belle. She smiled comforting  Mary more than she thought possible for someone who is a stranger. Mary took the cup and was aware of the heavy gaze of the others. She swallowed nervously, glancing at Jefferson who had managed to hide himself in the shadows by the wall, yet his gaze was heaviest of all. Dark eyes burrowed into her skull and made it difficult to breath.

"I drink this and what, a Prince appears on a noble steed?" She tried to easy the tension in the room and in her head. She heard Jefferson snort.

"You'd eat him alive." If only they knew the real her, the confidence, funny, smart, mischievous woman he had fallen in love with all those years ago,  he though, seeing the small grin on Regina face. Something of his wife shone brightly through Mary's eyes as they twinkled, a small playful twitch at the corner of her mouth.

"True," she said raising the cup to her lips and drinking the contents. After a moment she put the cup down with a frown .   

"I suppose sugar would have made it redundant" she pulled a face at the sour flavour.

"how do you feel?" Regina say impatiently. Watching every move of the young woman, who still had her head down, short strands of rich brown hair spill int over her face.

"Regina, still working on that patient thing?" The woman looks up, dark blue eyes glinting in candle light. "You've gotten old." Regina visibly ruffled and stood taller, looking offend but for the glint of relief in her eyes.

"Still not got the filter from brain to mouth, I see." Regina's mouth twitches

"have one, just don't engage  it." She smiles. Emma notice how much more confident the woman speaks now, she even stood differently. Emma cursed herself for not noticing how meek and unsure she had sounded before.

The two woman smiled at one another before Mary looked around at the others. She nodded a greeting at Mr. Gold her lips twitching and eyes filled with joy as she saw the matching rings of his and Belle's hands.

Jefferson slowly shifted into the light beside her waiting silently for her to look at him. He knew she already knew he was beside her. She always knew. When her eyes did meet his, she was biting her lip- a nervous habit, he knew- She turned her whole body to face him, eyes taking in every detail of his shadowy face.

"Here you are," she says softly pale pink lips twitching into a uncontrollable smile that he returns. His own eyes roaming the familiar pale face. She hesitantly raised a hand to his hair a familiar gesture, 

"You've cut your hair" she says quietly running her fingers through much shorter hair then she remembers.

"And you haven't aged a day." he smiles softly at her under dark eyelashes " that's very rude. You're just as beautiful as the day I met you." she smiled widely, cheeks pinking . Unable to control herself any longer she leaned up and kissed him. She intended just to brush her lips to him but he caught her movements and held her close to him, deepening the kiss. Like a man dying of thirst and she was water. It had been several long years since he had last seen her and then the curse had hit. All this time thinking she was dead and she was right here all along. She tighten her grip on his hair as they heard Mr. Gold cough pointedly. Even in the dim light Mary's cheeks were a healthy red colour as she rested beside Jefferson, his arm firmly around her shoulders, keeping her against him, but she made no move towards moving away from him, instead her hands twisted into his jacket as if she was afraid he would be the one leaving her.

Jefferson looked over her head at Mr. Gold somethings close to playful, smugness in his features. A look he hadn't had in years.

"you've seen us do worst." He spoke low to the older man and Regina perked up as her friend shifted and looked very much like she wanted the floor to open up and swallow her.

"he doesn't need to remember that" she hissed up at him. Her eyes shifting between Mr. Gold and everyone else, before settling on Emma and Hook.

"hi" she sounded far to happy to be real, clearly wanting a distraction " you must be Emma, I'm Alice-"

"Wait, wait, wait- " Regina gleamed looking like she had received the best news all week. Eyes shifting between Mr. Gold and the pair. The grin crawling across her face reminded Alice of  the Cheshire Cat. She pointed a finger between Jefferson and Alice. Alice was giving her a look all best friends give when they want said friend to keep quiet and like all best friends with potential embarrassing information Regina blurted out with a laugh " this is why you wanted to learn the furniture fixing spell!?"

Emma felt for the poor girl, she really did. Alice previous known as Mary look like she wanted to hide in a cave and never appear again. Hook let out a chuckle as the red faced girl cursed at Regina

"Not even Five minutes, I've been here. Not Five bloody minutes" 

Jefferson chuckled, catching sight of the fire in Alice's eyes that was just a faint flicker in Mary's. Alice caught his eye as she attempted to twist around him but he didn't let her go.   
Never again would he let her go.   
She shifted and wondered if she would physically burst into flames.

"It was before we were married...beside that table was badly made." Alice clearly decided to give up on twisting away from him and decided to try to bury herself in his jacket. Jefferson hummed grinning madly into her dark hair. He remembered.

  
\--//--//--//--//--

 

_**Small Hamlet near the Enchanted forest** _

  
_Alice held back the childish giggle that wanted to spring from her mouth as her so-to-be husband produced a handful of different coloured tulips._

_Her favourite._

_Years of being told that she should like red roses, had made any flower that wasn't red her favourite but tulips were special. A single tulip was the first flower Jefferson had given her –even if they were messing with each other, trying to push the other away long enough to collect an old scroll for their potential buyers._

_She leaned up and kissed his warm cheek, before going in search of a vase and finding a small jug that seemed just the right size and placing them on the chest of draws beside the flowers he got her yesterday. She hummed and tilted her head as strong arms encircled her slim waist and warm dry lips kiss her cheek, then shoulder._

_"how long until you're my wife?" His voice was deep and low and went straight down her ear to between her legs.  She squirmed and turned in his arms unwilling to give him the satisfaction of what his voice alone could do to her, but she had a sneaking suspicion he knew._

_"Two weeks today." She curled her around his neck looking up at him as he got a look on his face. "You've got that look again"_

" _what look?" He raised an eyebrow_

_"That look." She smiled as he raised the other eyebrow at her. "Like you can't believe I'm here." He swayed slightly and hummed, turning them around and walked her back a little before pressing his lips to her ear._

_"That's because I can't, " Alice was sure he caught the way her breathe hitched. "You could be anywhere with anyone but you have chosen to be here with me" he dragged his lips along her jaw before kissing her mouth. His hand explored known territory of her back and sides, as her own hands got lost in his hair. His hands then dipped to her rear, giving it a squeeze and pulling her closer, then to her thighs before hoisting her up to sit on the small old wooden dining table behind her. She pulled away resting her head against his as he stood between her legs and pulled her flushed against him again._

_"Not where we eat."she murmured. She watched his eyes light up, before he growled in her ear_

_"Good idea." Before she could form a question or protest to what ever he was planning, his lips attached themselves to her neck and a stuttered moan escaped her before she could have muffled it._

_She bit her lip hard, clutching his shirt and hair tightly within her hand. She whimpered as his tongue licked across her abused lip._

_"Sweetheart, bite that lip any more and they'll be trouble." He spoke against her mouth._

" _But the neighbours-"  she was swiftly  silenced  with a jerk of his hips_

_"Never give us the same curacy." He was right of course, they didn't._

_He went back to nipping at her neck after a quick kiss on her lips, when she noticed that his clever hands hadn't been idle but had skimmed over her body and was set on unfastening her pants. She still felt more comfortable in them after all these years then in the dresses of the time. She claimed she couldn't climb trees in a skirt, when asked. Not that she did much tree climbing now._

_Her back hit the old wood as she lifted her hips enough for him to slide her pants and underwear off in a smooth move that they had long since perfected, and she yanked his shirt over his head, becoming to frustrated with the buttons and his chuckling at her frustration._

_After ridding Alice of her own (or  rather his) shirt, he took her hands –The ones he had seen both welded a sword with the easy of a knight and turn delicate pages in a book far older then the both of them. – and pinned them above her head. In a firm tone he told her not to move them before taking his time kissing and caressing his way down her torso, before moving lower._

_Later Alice would blame Jefferson for the fact the table broke under her hands_.

  
\--//--//--//--//--

 

"You always did fix that table more then you ate off of it." His voice was low enough for the others not to hear over Regina's laughter but he felt Alice face press into his chest and knew she heard him. She took a moment before again trying to distract from the conversation

"Where are the children?"

"They safe, don't worry....are you going to shut her up?" Jefferson spoke into Alice's hair as Regina snorted gleefully. Alice spun in her husbands arms, pointing at Regina

"It's not that funny, forest girl." Regina shut her jaw with a snap and Emma had to admire the girl. The look Regina was sending her would have sent weaker mortals running and the young woman simply raised an eyebrow.

"children." Mr. Gold had a hint of a smirk on his face and many knew this was not good, "I believe we have business to discuss. Shall we move this somewhere else." He nodded to the door clearly wanting everyone out.

The group decide to regroup with Mary Margaret and David. The closer they got the slower Alice appeared to walk, the others marched ahead. Regina calling Robin Hood to meet them. Jefferson held Alice's hand and watched his wife's face get more and more worried. They were outside the apartment block of Mary Margaret's when Alice paused, biting her lip looking unfocused at the doorway, deep in thought. Jefferson squeeze her hand gently, pausing beside her until she blinked out of her thoughts to look unsurely up at him, looking between the ground and the door.

"It's been so long." She say quietly, the others already gone inside. Jefferson turned to face her full, taking her other hand before she could start biting at her nails as well. A sign she was truly worried and was struggling to calm her mind. She glanced back up at him. "What if...what if she doesn't like me? What if she thinks I abandoned her?.... Does she even remember me?" Her voice cracked as she tried not to show how terrified she was. Jefferson knew how she felt. He had the exact same thoughts before he let himself go to his daughter.

"You're her mother" he spoke softly but Alice shot him such a broken look his heart ached for her. He let his thumbs rub gently over the skin on the back of her hands before easing them to his mouth and kisses them gently.

" when the curse first broke, I didn't go to her straight away." He told her, catching the slight disapproval in the way her eyebrows pinched together. "I was...afraid. Afraid she is would hate me, because I never came back when I said I would. But she was looking for me" he shot her a small smile, pressing his lips to her hands again. "She has been looking for you too." He watched her quietly for a moment. "When we found you at Granny's she was so sad you didn't know her.-"

"Mom?" A young voice cut him off and the two adults turn towards the doorway to find their daughter watching them. Alice looked at her with new eyes and took a shaky breath, releasing Jefferson for the first time.

"Gracie" her voice was quiet but it was silent on the street. Grace grinned and flew into Alice's arms.

"Mommy," she sobbed. Alice wrapped her arms around her daughter for the first time in years. Like her husband when he found their daughter she dropped to her knees clutching their oldest child.


End file.
